Back at the Front

Back at the Front (titled Willie and Joe in Tokyo in the UK) is a 1952 American comedy film directed by George Sherman and starring Tom Ewell, Harvey Lembeck and Mari Blanchard, very loosely based on the characters Willie and Joe by Bill Mauldin. It is a sequel to Up Front (1951). Mauldin repudiated both films, and refused his advising fee.

Back at the Front
Film poster
Directed by	George Sherman
Written by	Lou Breslow Oscar Brodney Don McGuire
Based on	Willie and Joe by Bill Mauldin
Produced by	Leonard Goldstein
Starring	Tom Ewell Harvey Lembeck Mari Blanchard
Cinematography	Clifford Stine
Edited by	Paul Weatherwax
Music by	Joseph Gershenson
Production company	Universal-International
Distributed by	Universal-International
Release date	October 1952 (1952-10)
Running time	87 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.3 million (US rentals)[1]

Plot

Willie (Ewell) and Joe (Lembeck) are two U.S. Army veterans of World War II who got through the war by goldbricking. After returning to civilian life they are recalled to active duty and end up part of the post war occupation forces in Japan. Chaos ensues as they attempt one con job after another in order to avoid work details and get leave to spend time in Tokyo.

Cast

• Tom Ewell as Willie
• Harvey Lembeck as Joe
• Mari Blanchard as Nina
• Richard Long as T/Sgt. Rose
• Gregg Palmer as Capt. White
• Barry Kelley as Brig. Gen. Dixon
• Russell Johnson as Johnny Redondo
• Vaughn Taylor as Maj. Lester Ormsby
• Aram Katcher as Ben
• Aen-Ling Chow as Sameko
• Benson Fong as Rickshaw boy
• Lane Bradford as Military Policeman
• Dee Carroll as Night Curse
• David Janssen as Soldier